Spinning top



y 1953 $1.1 SAUNDERS 2,639,921

SPINNING TOP Filed Feb. 14. 1948 mvzuon N. J. SAUNDERS Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINNING TOP 7 Noel J. Saunders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada I Application February 14, 1948, Serial No. 8,421

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a game of chance and employs a novel spinning top for a game piece.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and fascinating game of chance.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game of chance which can be cheaply manufactured.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game of chance which can be played in a number of forms.

With these and other objects in View a game according to the invention employsa novel spinning top as a game piece. The top has a base member with a spinning base at its lower extremity and an index member rotatably mounted on said base member about the spinning axis of the top. Preferably the base member carries a ratchet wheel, and the index member carries at least one pawl which is adapted toengage with the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel could be carried by the index member and the pawl carried by the base however. The ratchet so constituted is designed to cause the index member to spin with the base member when the base is rotated in a predetermined direction and to permit relative rotation between the base and index member as the base slows down due to frictional engagement with the surface upon which the top is operated. Markings are carried by the base member which are adapted to be read in conjunction with said index member to give a reading related to the relative position of said index member and said base member. When the top is spun the relative position in which the index and base members come to rest depends on chance. As well as the novel top or game piece, I provide a spinning surface for the top over which the co-efficient of friction varies. This surface introduces a further element of chance into the game.

The invention will be clearly understood after reference to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a spinning board and top constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the top shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the top shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a partial section showing a preferred type of pawl engaging the ratchet wheel.

Referring to the drawings the letter A designates one form of a game according to the present invention comprising a top B adapted to be spun on a spinning board C. The top shown in 'the drawings comprises a cup-like base member I0 having a spinning head II at its lower extremity, and a central spinning peg I2 extending upwardly therefrom. An index member in the form of a disk I3 is rotatably mounted on the peg I2 as at I4, and extends over the substantial portion of the open top of the base member Ill. The upper edge I5 of the base member ID preferably has an inwardly extending flange I6 which in the drawings comprises an annular ring adapted to seat on the edge of the base member. The'base member I0 and disk I3 can be made from any suitable material such as plastic, in which case the annular ring I5 could be formed integral with or glued to the upper edge of the base member ID.

A top according to this invention also has a ratchet which in the embodiment shown is comprised by a ratchet wheel II carried by the base member I0 and two diametrically opposed pawls I8 carried by the disk I3. The ratchet is designed to cause the index disk I3 to rotate with the base member ID when it is spun in a clockwise direction on its spinning head II by means of the spinning peg I2. As the base plate slows down however due to the frictional engagement of the spinning head II with the spinning surface, the rotation of the index disk I3 is not correspondingly reduced by friction and its inertia tends to cause it to continue rotating at the same speed. The ratchet then permits the index disk to rotate faster than the retarded base plate to cause relative movement between the disk I3 and the base plate II].

A series of markings I9 extends around the peripheral flange I6 of the base and a further series of markings 20 extends around the marginal edge of the index disk. These markings are adapted to be read in conjunction with each other and give a different reading for each relative position of the disk I3 to the base II). For the position of disk and base shown in Figure 4 a reading of 8 spades and 3 clubs is obtained. It will be apparent that for a different position of the disk with respect to the base that a different reading would result, and that it is an element of chance at which relative position these two members will stop each time the top is spun.

A further element of chance can be introduced into the game by the addition of the game board C. This game board has a spinning surface over which the co-efiicient of friction varies. In the board shown the spaced apart circular areas 22 and the annular areas 23 are made from a different material to the main body 24 of the spinning surface and have different co-eflicients of friction. For example the areas 22 could be made of rubber, the areas 23 of plastic and the main body 24 of the spinning area could be made of wood. As the top spins it will move over the spinning board surface and, depending on the portion of the surface upon which it moves, the spinning base ID will slow up at a greater or lesser rate.

Figure 5 shows a preferred form of pawl in which the end |8a engaging the ratchet wheel I! is hingedly supported from the main downwardly projecting portion I 8b thereo1 so that it can freely deflect in one direction to permit a more free relative rotation between the base and the index disk. In the embodiment shown the hinged end I8a is formed with a T strip 25 at its upper end, and the main portion I8b of the pawl is formed with opposed indentations 21 spaced inwardly from-its free end. The T portion is then loosely bent around the neck formed by the indentations 21 to hinge it to the main portion of the pawl. It will be apparent that an end 18a so connected can only deflect in a direction away from the face of the pawl which it normally abuts, and will be prevented from deflecting in the other direction by the part of the main portion of the pawl 18 which extends below the point of hinging. The ratchet operates in a similar manner to the ratchet described above except that as relative rotation takes place between the base and the index wheel, the tip Isa deflects to permit a more free relative rotation between the two.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a novel game which fulfills the objects of the invention. As indicated the top or game piece can be used on the disclosed type of spinning surface or on any other smooth surface. The form of the game can further be readily changed. For example, different series of markings l9 and 20 could be used to give the game a. number of forms.

Other embodiments of the invention than the one shown in the drawings will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is not intended that the invention should be limited in scope by the foregoing except by the limitations expressed in the following claim.

What I claim as my invention is:

A spinnin top comprising a base having a. spinning head at its lower extremity, an index member rotatably mounted on the base about the spinning axis thereof, a ratchet wheel carried by said base, a pawl hingedly carried by said index member to engage with said ratchet wheel, said pawl being formed from a. T-shaped blank, said index member having a downwardly projecting arm member with a reduced section adjacent its free end, the cross arms of said T-shaped blank being bent to loosely embrace the reduced section of said index member arm, the reduced section of said index member arm embraced by the arms of said pawl being spaced inwardly from its free end whereby said pawl is free to deflect when said index member and base member rotate relatively to'each other in one direction only, said index member carrying indicia, said base carrying indicia cooperating with the indicia on said index member.

NOEL J. SAUNDERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 400,011 Rogers et a1 Mar. 19', 1889 499,317 Burch June 13, 1893 814,962 Irving Mar. 13, 1906 1,192,167 Conde July 25, 1916 FQREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,290 Great Britain 1891 588,285 Great Britain May 19, 1947 

